Street indicator for street cars



May 6, 1930. A. E. GARBUT ET AL I STREET INDICATOR FOR STREET CARS Filfad Dec. 17, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet arfe nyvenyi'ors A.E.Gll'bui' J. a.zan

v 1 w W Y Ma May 6, 1930. A. E. GARBUT ET AL STREET INDICATOR FOR STREETCARS Filed Dec. 17, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 6, 1930 r omenALBERT E. GARBUT, F WINNIEEG, DONALD COGHRANE, OF ST. BONIFACE, AND JOHNE. WATKINS, OE VIINNIEEG, MANITOBA, CANADA, ASSIGNORS TO WINNIIPEG BRASSLIMITED, OF \VII TNIPEG, CANADA, A GORPORATIONOF MANITOBA, CANADA STREETINDICATOR FOB STREET CABS Application filed December 17, 1928.

The invention relates to improvements in street indicators for streetcars and an ob ject of the invention is to provide an indicator whichcan be readily mounted in one of the car windows and preferably avestibule window and without having to alter the existing windowstructure.

A further object is to construct the indicator so that it can be easilyand quickly re moved from the window when occasiondemands and so thatthe electrical connections for illuminating purposes can be readilydisjoined when the indicator is to be removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a box like indicator formounting in the car window and which has the back of the box detachablyconnected to the box body and the various internal working parts of theindicator carried by the back as well as the illuminating light, suchpermitting of the ready repair or inspection of the working partswithout necessitating the removal of the box body from position in thecar window frame.

A further object of the invention is to construct the indicator so thatthe working parts are all maintained dust and weather proof and whilepermitting the motorman to look into the interior of the indicator inorder to properly set the curtain there within.

A further object is to provide a means permitting the motorman byobservation to accurately set the desired street name so that it will.be properly centered in relation to the front sight opening of theindicator and such that he can 'do this without leaving the vestibule.

A further object of the invention is to provide an indicator having thestreet names appearing on a blind carried by winding rollers and whereinprovision is made for roompensating the varying diameter of the blindwinding on the rollers.

A further object is to provide means whereby the motorman from thevestibule can readily manipulate the device to accurately set thedesired street name in respect to the front sight opening of theindicator and also to provide means for releasably locking the blindfonce. it is set.

Serial No. 326,548.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an arrangement wherebythe blind or curtain can beeasily and quickly removed from the rollersand so that thevarious other parts of the device canbe readilydismounted for inspection or repair purposes.

A further object is to construct the entire device in a simple, durableandinexpensive manner.

With the above more important objects in view, the invention consistsessentially in the arrangement andconstructio'n of parts hereinaftermore particularly described, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an exterior viewof a street car showing our device installedthereon.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view at 22 Figure l with the indicatorshownin plan.

Figs. 3 and t are perspective views of the box supporting platesutilized.

Fig. 5 is an enlargeddetailed vertical sectional view through theindicator andlooking ina direction towards the. pinions.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the box, the section beingtaken in the plane indicated by the line 6-6 Figure 5'.

Fig. 7 is anenlargeddetailed horizontal sectional view through thebottom roller and associatedparts, the central portion thereof being.broken away.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the back of the box and showing thepartscarried thereb Fig. 9 is a further perspective viewofthe back ofthe box and showing the gate which is open.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detailed'face view of the sleeve which engageswith the crank.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical sectional view at 11-11 Figure 8.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several figures.

This indicator is particularly designed for indicating street nameswhere the name designates the route taken by the car and in thisconnection we might point out that while it is commonpractice in somecities to indicate the car route by a displayed number, such as say that52, it is none the less desirable to also have a street name displayedon the car, as

it gives one not fully familiar with the route of the car as indicatedby the number 52 a better idea of thedirection of travel of the Call.

The device is preferably placed in one of the'windows of the carvestibule and towards the top of the window, and is arranged so that aselected street name is visible through the window from the outside, andso that the motorman can readily operate the whole appliance from thevestibule without requiring to go out of the car.

The indicator embodies a substantiallyrectangular box 1 preferablyformed of sheet metal and having the length so that it will pass readilybetween the side frames of the existing window. In order to hold the boxin place we secure as by screwsto one side of the window frame a socketlike supporting plate 2, which receives and supports the rectangular endof the box. To the other side of the window frame we secure as by screwsa further socket like supporting plate 3, also adapted to receive andsupport the other end of the box but this latter plate is not providedat the inner side with a holding flange, but rather has a flange 4turned in a direction away from thebox so that the end of the box can beslidin to the open sided socket and be supported thereby. To prevent theinserted box end from withdrawing from the latter plate, we havefastened pivotally to the flange 4 a latch 5 provided with a fingerpiece 6, and the latch when swung down is adapted to pass behind the boxand prevent withdrawal.

A short screw threaded stud 7 is fastened permanently to the flange andcarries a thumb nut 8, and this stud is adapted to enter a slot 9provided in the latch, the arrangement being such that when the stud isin the inner end of the slot, the latch is stopped in a horizontalposition and so that when the thumb nut is then tightened up it will jamthe latch and hold it locked.

The front of the box is provided with a rectangular sight opening 10through which the street name is seen, and the sight opening is closedby a transparent plate 11 of glassfthe plate having the edges thereofset in channel shaped rubber strips 12 which are in turn held in placeby an outer open centered rectangular frame 13 screwed to the front ofthe box. The rubber strips eflectively prevent breakage of the glassthrough vibration and also insure of a dust and weather tight joint asthe rubber strips are clamped between the front of the box and the frame13.

The rear side of the box body is also fitted with channel shapedrubberstrips 14, such being frictionally held in place by pressing oneof the flanges of each rubber strip tightly into a receiving channel 15provided at the rear of the box body.

The back 16 of the box is removable and when in closed position engagestightly against the rubber strips 14, such preventing rattling and alsoinsures of a dust and weath er proof joint.

The box back is supplied with a marginal flange 17 receiving the body ofthe box and the said back is removably held in place by providing thebody of the box with four screw threaded'corner bolts 18 permanentlyfastened to the body of the box and extending rearwardly throughsuitable corner holes provided in the back 16. Thumb nuts 19 applied onthe bolts effectively hold the back in place and also insure upon thenuts being tightened up of a tight joint being made with the rubberstrips 14. According to the above it will be obvious that the back ofthe box can be removed without having to remove the box body frombetween the car windows.

The back 16 of the box carries the working mechanism of the indicatornow described.

To the ends of the box back We permanently secure an opposing pair ofvertically disposed angle plates 20 and 21 which support the rollersshortly described. One of the angle plates isp'ernianently riveted tothe back of the box and the other is adjustably fastened thereto bybolts 22 carried by the back and operating in slots 22 formed in theplates, this construction permitting the adjustable. plate to be readilyshifted, in order to dismount either of the rollers.

The upper ends of the bearing plates carry horizontally opposing bearingsleeves 23, and these sleeves receive rotatably an upper cross shaft 24.To the cross shaft we fasten as by pins the hubs of apair of opposingdiscs 25 and 26, the discs beingconnected by a tube 27 having a diameterconsiderably larger than the cross shaft. The tube and the discsactually form a long roller or spool utilized for carrying one end ofthe blind 28 used.

The upper end of the blind is provided with a hem and the hem is passedthrough a lengthwise extending slot 29 provided in the tube and is heldin place by a rod 30 passed through the hem and having a diametergreater than the width of the slot. The rod is entered into the spacebetween the shaft and the tube through an end hole 31 made in one of thediscs. The lower ends of the plates are also provided with horizontallyaligned bearing sleeves 32 which receive rotatably a lower cross shaft33 and on the lower cross shaft is mounted, rotatably, a lower roller 34formed also from end discs and a connecting tube in the same manner asthe upper roller.

The lower roller is, however, connected to the shaftby a coil spring 35spiralling around the shaft and having one end permanently fastened tothe shaft and the other end permenses mane-ntly fastened. to one of theciscrt "lhe'lower end of the blind is fastened to the lower rolier inthe same manner as it is fastened to the upper roller, so it is unncces.ry for us to repeat such description.

FT LL to one end the upper shalt we perm:

'en a chain wheel 36, and this chain whee. connected by'a chain 37 to af .rther chain wheel 38 pinned to the lower cross shaft. Centrally theangle plate 21 carries stub shaft 39 on which a chain wheel 40 isrotatably iounied, the chain wheel engaging continuously with one of thesides ofthe chain as best shown in Figure 5.

A bevel pinion 41 is mounted on the stub shaft and fastened to the chainwheel and the said bevel pinion is meshed continuously with a bevel gear42 secured to driving shaft 43 passing through the back of the box androtatably mounted in a bearing sleeve 414s secured to the rear side ofthe box back and provid ing ample bearing area for such shaft.

To the rear end of the driving shaft we attach a crank 45 whichcan bereadily operated by the motorman and obviously upon the crank beingturned in one direction the blind will be wound on, say the top roller,and upon the crank being turned in the opposite direction the blind willbe wound on the. iottom roller. In thislatter connection it will benoted that when the lower shaft is driven by the chain it drives theroller through the springand the spring at all times to hold the blindtaut between the rollers.

In order to releasably hold the crank in any set position, we haveprovided the crank with a pair of diametrically opposing spring pressedpocketed balls 46, and these are adaptt ed to ride the adjacent face ofthe bearing sleeve 44, which is provided with an odd number ofconcentrically arranged pockets 47 into one of which one or other of'theballs will enter. When so entered the accidental rotation of the crankis prevented although it is very easy for one to forcibly turn the crankwhen desired. p

The blind is provided throughout its length with a series of names themajority of which will be street names, although there may be othermaterial thereon, such as the words, Private car, No passengers, Southbarn etc. The space which the several names are a part is such that theblind can be set by the motorman so that when properly set only one namewill appear through the front sight openingof the box.

Centrally the back of the box is provided with a light receptacle 48which is formed by pressing the materialof the backof the box outwardlyto form a bay. The receptacle has the rear wall thereof provided with avertically slidable gate49 fitted-with a knob 50, which permits the gateto be readily opened and closed. The. front of thereceptaclewis closedby a transparent glass plate 51 which has the edges thereof set inchannel shaped rubber strips and the rubber strips fastened to the backof the box by an open centered metallic frame 52 screwed to the back ofthe box. This latter glass closes oil the working parts of the indicatorbut permits the motorman atall times to seethe blind upon raising thegate. In this way we do not interfere with the motormans vision andstill we prevent dust, dirt, etc., from getting into the fore part ofthe box containing the working mechanism when the gate is open.

The light receptacle has the interior wall thereof, preferably a whitereflecting surface and the upper part of the receptacle is provided witha lamp socket 53 supporting an electric lamp 54 within the receptacle.The socket is provided exterior of the box with upstanding terminals 55and56 adapted to receive the customary contact plug 57 to which the feedwires 58 and 59 lead. This latter arrangement makes it easy todisconnect the electric circuit by simply pulling off the plug and whensuch is done one can remove the look back for inspection or otherpurposes.

In order to make it possible for the motor-. man to actually set thedesired name in the front sight opening of the box, we have attached theends of a horizontally disposed wire or rod 60 to the back of the box,the rod havingthe body partthereof overlying the lower roller in alocation quite close to the rear side of the blind. On the blind we haveduplicated each name in small letters as indicated at 61 and when thename as appearing in the small letters is lined up with the rod uponobservation through the gate opening, then the large letters indicatingthe desired name are properly positioned. in respect to the sightopening in the front of the box.

hat we claim as our invention is z- 1. In a street indicator for streetcars, a box like casing having a demountable back and a transparentsight opening in the front thereof and an exteriorly driven windingblind visible through the sight openingand contained within the box andtotally carried by the back thereof and freely withdrawable from the boxwith the back.

2. In a street indicator for street cars, a box like casing having atransparent sight opening in the front thereof and the back thereofdeniountable, an eirteriorly operated winding blind visible through thesight opening and totally carried by the back of the easing and freelywithdrawable from the box with the back, a blind illuminating lampcarried by the back of the casing and a disjointable connectionforsupplying current to the lamp.

3. In a street indicator for street cars, a box like casing having atransparent front sight opening in the front thereof and a transparentrear sight opening in the back thereof and the back demountable, anexteriorly driven winding belt totally carried by the back of the casingand freely Withdrawabie from the box with the back and having stree'names thereon selectively visible through the front and rear sightopenings, a lamp containing receptacle carried by the back of the casingto the rear of the rear sight opening and a I gate carried by thereceptacle adapted when opened to permit of inspection of the blindthrough the rear sight opening.

4. In a street indicator for street cars, a box like casing having atransparent front sight opening in the front thereof and a transparentrear sight opening in the back thereof and the back demountable, anexteriorly driven winding belt totally carried by the back of the casingand freely withdrawable from the box with the back and having streetnames thereon selectively visible through the front and rear sightopenings, a lamp receptacle carried by the back of the casing to therear of the rear sight opening, an inspection gate carried by the lampreceptacle and adapted when opened to permit of inspection of the blindthrough the rear sight opening, a lamp socket carried by the receptacleand provided with the customary plug receiving terminals and anilluminating lamp carried by the socket and located within thereceptacle.

5. In a street indicator for street cars, a box like casing having atransparent sight opening in the front thereof, opposing bearing platessecured to the back of the box adjoining the ends and extending inwardlytherefrom, an upper roller rotatably carried by the bearing plates, alower cross shaft rotatably carried by the bearing plates, a lowerroller rotatably mounted on the cross shaft, a compensating drivingspring connecting the lower roller to the shaft, a chain wheel securedto the shaft, a chain wheel for driving the upper roller, an endlesschain connecting the chain wheels, manually operated means operable fromthe rear of the box for driving the chain in either direction and ablind wound on the rollers and having the ends thereof attached thereto,said blind having a series of street names appearing thereon.

6. In a street indicator for street cars, a box like casing having atransparent sight opening in the front thereof, opposing bearing platessecured to the back of the box adj oining the ends and extendinginwardly therefrom, an upper roller rotatably carried by the bearingplates, a lower cross shaft rotatably carried bythe bearing plates, alower roller rotatably mounted on the cross shaft, a compensatingdriving spring connecting the lower roller to the shaft, a chain wheelsecured to the shaft, a chain wheel for driving the upper roller, anendless chain connecting the chain wheels, a stub shaft secured to oneof the bearing plates, a chain wheel rotatably mounted on the stub shaftand engaging the rear side of the chain, a bevel pinion secured to thelatter chain wheel, a driving shaft extending rotatably through the backof the box, a bevel gear secured to the shaft and engaging the bevelpinion, a crank secured to the rear end of the driving shaft and a blindhaving the ends thereof wound on the rollers and fastened thereto, saidblind having a series of street names appearing thereon and selectivelyvisible through the sight opening in the front of the box.

7. In a street indicator for street cars, a substantially rectangularbox having a winding street indicating blind mounted therein and visiblethrough transparent sight openings formed in the front and the back ofthe box and a lamp containing receptacle formed centrally at the rear ofthe box to the rear of the sight opening, said lamp receptacle beingprovided with means which can be opened and closed as desired to permitof inspection of the blind through the rear sight opening.

8. In a street indicator for street cars, a metallic box like receptaclehaving the front thereof provided with a sight opening and the backthereof removable and provided with a sight opening, transparent platesfor closing the sight openings, anti-rattling dust and weather proofstrips bordering and receiving the edges of'the plates, frames borderingand receiving the strips and fastening the plates to the front and backof the casing, anti-rattling dust and weather proof strips interposedbetween the back and the body of the casing and means for demountablyclamping the back of the casing to the body thereof.

9. In a street indicator for street cars, a metallic box like receptaclehaving the front thereof provided with a sight opening and the backthereof removable and provided with a sight opening, transparent platesfor closing the sight openings, anti-rattling dust and weather proofstrips bordering and receiving the edges of the plates, frames borderingand receiving the strips and fastening the plates to the front and backof the casing, anti-rattling dust and weather proof strips interposedbetween-the back and the body of the casing and means for demountablyclamping the back of the casing to the body thereof, the back of thecasing being provided with a lamp receptacle to the rear of the rearsight opening.

10. In a street indicator for street cars, the

combination with the sides of the street car window frame, of opposingsupporting plates permanently secured to the sides of the frame and astreet indicating box insertible between the plates and supportedthereby.

11. In a street indicator for street cars, the combination with thesides of the street car window frame, of a plate secured permanently toone side of the frame and provided with inturned marginal flanges, aplate secured to the opposite side of the frame and opposing the formerplate, said latter plate having the ends and one side provided withinturned marginal flanges and the side to the inner side of the carprovided With an out turned flange, a box like street indicatorinsertible between the plates and supported by the flanges thereof and alatch carried by the out turned flange aforesaid and releasably lockingthe box against Withdrawal.

Signed at Winnipeg, this 2nd day of N0- Vember, 1928.

ALBERT E. GARBUT. DONALD COCHRANE. JOHN E. WATKINS.

